False morels must be accompanied by warning and handling instructions

25.4.2008

<div>According to Finnish regulations, anyone who sells fresh or dried false morels must display a warning that they are poisonous and must provide instructions for handling them.
The Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira recommends that fresh false morels should only be sold to consumers by sales staff, rather than off the shelf, in order to ensure safety.
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False morels are an exceptional food whose sale is permitted
although they contain a naturally occurring toxin called
gyromitrin. A large dose of gyromitrin causes acute poisoning.
Gyromitrin and its metabolites are also carcinogenic compounds.
Proper handling is required to avoid poisoning, and consumers in
Finland are reminded of this each year.

Foreigners living in Finland may not be aware that false morels
are poisonous or may not know how they should be handled.

If instructions for handling false morels are not displayed at
sales points, control officials can forbid the sale of lots which
do not comply with regulations. Products can be put back on sale
after the necessary warnings have been added. Consumers can also
notify municipal food control officials if labels are
inadequate.

Evira has published brochures on the handling of false morels in
Finnish, Swedish, English, German, French and Russian. The
brochures can be obtained from municipal food control authorities
and from Evira for display at sales points or for other information
purposes.

Postage is charged according to the current postal rates.
Ordering instructions and inquiries: via email tilaukset@evira.fi
or by phone tel. 020 77 25104 and 0400 378 710.

Instructions for handling false morels

Boiling: False morels should be boiled twice in plenty of water
(1 part mushrooms and 3 parts water) for at least five minutes and
should be rinsed thoroughly in plenty of water after each
boiling.

Drying: False morels can also be preserved by drying them until
they are crisp. Dried false morels must be soaked for at least two
hours before use (100 grams of mushrooms in 2 litres of water).
After soaking they should be boiled and rinsed twice like fresh
false morels.

Remember: Ensure proper ventilation whenever false morels are
boiled or dried. Do not reuse the water in which false morels have
been soaked or boiled.